This review highlights advances in hydrogen-bonded networks using small molecules, nanoparticles, and polymer aggregates to design strong and tough polymeric materials for industrial applications.

A significant weakness of many organic and inorganic aerogels is their poor mechanical behaviour, representing a great impediment to their application. For example, polymer aerogels generally have higher ductility than silica aerogels, but their elastic modulus is considered too low. Herein, we developed extremely low loading (<1 wt%) 2D graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets modified poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) aerogels via a facile and environmentally friendly method. The aerogel shows a 9-fold increase in compressional modulus compared to a pure polymer aerogel. With a low density of 0.04 mg/mm³ and a thermal conductivity of only 0.035 W/m·K, it outperforms many commercial insulators and foams. As compared to a pure PVA polymer aerogel, a 170% increase in storage modulus is obtained by adding only 0.6 wt% GO nanosheets. The nanocomposite aerogel demonstrates strong fire resistance, with a 50% increase in burning time and little smoke discharge. After surface modification with 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane, the aerogel demonstrates water resistance, which is suitable for outdoor applications in which it would be exposed to precipitation. Our research demonstrates a new pathway for considerable improvement in the performance and application of polymer aerogels.

Recently, MXene has been identified as a novel reinforcing material for elastomers. Also, the free‐radical scavenging ability of MXene can be used to improve the antiaging properties of unsaturated elastomers, such as natural rubber (NR). Herein, Ti₃C₂T_x MXene is incorporated into NR at 0–0.8 wt% to investigate the mechanical and antiaging properties of NR/MXene nanocomposites (NRMX). The resultant nanocomposites with increasing MXene content show improved tensile properties and storage modulus due to the homogeneous distribution of MXene in the nanocomposite, interfacial interaction between MXene and NR molecules, and immobilization of NR polymer chains by MXene. Also, the reduced permanent deformation and hysteresis indicate a lowered heat build‐up with increasing MXene concentration. Finally, the improved mechanical properties retention, increased glass transition temperature, reduced free radical, and –OH and CO formation upon accelerated aging confirm the enhancement of the antiaging properties of NRMX nanocomposites.

Purpose: Rice husk is burnt and discarded without effective use; however, it is a reliable resource that can be used to extract silica from its ash (RHAS) and can be incorporated in rubber blends as filler. The effect of Natural rubber (NR) and Acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) ratio of NR/NBR blends filled with RHAS on physico-mechanical, and swelling percentage in specific oils (brake oil, hydraulic oil, engine oil) and toluene were studied since these blends have potential applications like fluid sealing. Method: RHAS was extracted via sol-gel method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) analyses. NR/NBR blends with different NR to NBR ratios (100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80, 0:100) were prepared by incorporating 25 parts per hundred parts of rubber and curing characteristics, physico-mechanical and swelling properties were evaluated. Findings: The XRD, FTIR, and SEM analyses confirmed that the RHAS contains silica with a combination of nanoparticles and large agglomerates. The blends showed preferable curing characteristics while the hardness, compression set, and tear strength of blends ranged from 60-70 International Rubber Hardness Degrees, 0.5-6%, and 10-20 N/mm, respectively. Although the tensile properties (before ageing) were low, the retention of tensile strength after ageing was better in NR/NBR blends. Blends with high NBR proportion showed tolerable swelling against toluene, hydraulic oil, and engine oil while blends with low NBR proportion showed better swelling resistance to brake oil. Limitation: Time was limited to evaluate the properties of blends with different loading levels of RHAS. Value: There is a potential to use these NR/NBR blends in applications like fluid seals which require oil resistance and toluene resistance, where 0.5-6% and about 60-100% swellings are tolerable, respectively, compromising the physico-mechanical properties meanwhile replacing carbon black in respective applications.